Overview

Fish the Ben Luc canals, herd ducks, cook southern Vietnamese dishes & eat lunch in a coconut garden

Ben Luc district in Long An province sits about 40 kilometres southwest of Ho Chi Minh City, where the city’s edge dissolves into the flat canal-threaded landscape of the Mekong Delta. The drive takes about an hour. What you arrive at is a working agricultural community — families who fish the waterways, tend kitchen gardens, grow coconuts, and raise ducks alongside the canals.

This tour is built around doing those things alongside them, not watching from a distance. You spend the morning on the water: a motorboat out of Go Dung Pier along the canal network, stopping under a rural bridge where local fishing lines are set. Each guest gets a rod and bait bought that morning at the market. The fishing is not sport fishing — it’s the same simple technique that families here have used for generations to supplement what they grow. Whether you catch anything or not, the hour and a half on the water gives you a very different sense of how the river functions in daily life.

The afternoon moves to a coconut garden on the riverbank. Duck herding, canal bailing with a traditional scoop, a hands-on cooking class preparing bánh xèo, chả giò, and thịt nướng lá lốt — then lunch under the palms, followed by a sampan ride back through the nipa canals. The pace is relaxed and the group is small. It’s the kind of day that’s hard to replicate on a larger tour.

Why TNK Travel for this tour

Hands-on, not hands-off: you fish with real equipment, cook real dishes, and participate in garden activities that are part of the host family’s actual daily routine.

Ben Luc is not on the standard Mekong circuit: most day trips from Ho Chi Minh City go to My Tho or Cai Be. Long An province sees far fewer visitors, and the places you go here are not set up for tour groups.

Small groups only: maximum 12 people. The fishing spots, the coconut garden kitchen, and the sampan work best at this scale.

Trusted by over 1,000,000 travellers: TNK Travel has operated tours out of Ho Chi Minh City since 2000, ranked #3 on TripAdvisor with over 24,000 verified reviews.

Tour highlights

Ben Luc market: a quick stop at the local market to pick up bait for the fishing session and fresh ingredients for the afternoon cooking class. The market is active in the early morning — produce from local gardens, freshwater fish, herbs, and river snacks.

Canal fishing at Go Dung Pier: motorboat out to a fishing spot under a rural bridge. Each guest gets their own rod, bait, and a spot along the bank. The technique is simple — line, hook, bait, patience — and your guide will help anyone who hasn’t fished before. Snacks, fresh fruit, and cold drinks are served on the boat while you fish.

Countryside walk & canal cruise: after fishing, the boat moves deeper into the narrow canal network. A short walk along the riverbank between the trees and garden plots before arriving at the coconut garden.

Duck herding (“Duck Massage”): a lighthearted activity that is more entertaining than it sounds. Ducks are guided from their pen to the water and back using long bamboo poles — a real part of daily farm management, and genuinely difficult to do in a straight line.

Canal bailing: using a traditional wooden scoop to transfer water between canal sections — a technique used to irrigate garden plots and control water levels in the delta. It looks straightforward and is not.

Cooking class: three southern Vietnamese dishes prepared in the garden kitchen: bánh xèo (sizzling rice-flour pancake with pork, prawn, and bean sprouts), chả giò (deep-fried spring rolls), and thịt nướng lá lốt (minced pork grilled in wild betel leaves). Your guide and the host will walk you through each dish.

Lunch in the coconut garden: a home-style meal under the palms, combining the dishes from the cooking class with a set southern Vietnamese lunch: lemongrass chicken, fried eggs, minced pork soup, steamed rice, and seasonal fruit.

Hammock time: after lunch, a genuine break in hammocks strung between the coconut trees. No schedule for 30 minutes.

Sampan ride through nipa canals: the return journey to the pier is by paddle-powered sampan through shaded narrow canals lined with nipa palm. Quiet, slow, and a good way to end the day.

Important information

Pickup

– Available from hotels in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City (excluding Sài Gòn Ward and Tân Định Ward)

– Pickup time: 8:00 AM. Please wait in your hotel lobby.

– Exact pickup time confirmed by email or WhatsApp 24 hours before departure

– Hotels outside Ben Thanh Ward: meet at TNK Travel, 112 Trần Hưng Đạo Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1 by 7:45 AM

What to wear & bring

Clothing: light, casual clothes you don’t mind getting wet or muddy. The fishing involves sitting close to the water; the garden activities involve soil and canal water.

Footwear: sandals with straps or old shoes for the market and garden. Flip-flops are fine for the boat. Avoid good shoes — the garden paths can be muddy after rain.

Sun protection: hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. The fishing section has limited shade.

Insect repellent: recommended, particularly for the canal and garden sections in the wet season (May–October).

Cash: for personal purchases at the market. Most vendors do not accept cards.

Physical requirements

– Moderate activity level. The tour involves walking on uneven garden paths, getting in and out of boats, and standing at the canal bank for the fishing session.

– The fishing and garden activities require no prior experience or fitness level beyond the ability to stand and walk comfortably.

– The sampan requires stepping into a low-sided boat — your guide will assist. Life jackets available on request.

– Not recommended for travellers with severe mobility limitations.

Weather

– The tour runs in most weather conditions, including light rain. Ponchos available if needed.

– Fishing may be moved to a sheltered spot during heavy rain. Garden activities continue under the coconut canopy.

– If TNK Travel cancels due to severe weather, you receive a full refund or can reschedule.